Category — Romance

I can’t believe I just found out about Eric Schaeffer’s reality tv show on Showtime! It is a documentary about the book tour he went on to promote his autobiographical book, I Can’t Believe I’m Still Single, and the subsequent dates he gets set up on by friends, fans, and acquaintances. Thus, his new series is called “I Can’t Believe I’m Still Single”.

Check the promo:

I’m probably one of the only people who has seen the complete Schaeffer oeuvre. And it was just by accident, I swear. Most of his movies I saw by chance on Cinemax or IFC, usually the ones where he was director and star. I would find myself strangely engrossed in the relationships he depicted, as if I was hypnotized. He has a wonderful knack for portraying relationships: like a torrid affair with a model in Fall, or a strange relationship with his best bud (played by Sarah Jessica Parker btw) in If Lucy Fell, or his struggle with sex and drug addiction in Wirey Spindell.

And with the FX television show, “Starved”, it just happened to premiere along with “It’s Always Sunny”, so I watched it and liked it.

So when I was channel surfing on Sunday and came across Eric talking to his assistant about how hot women were in Denver, I obviously was intrigued instantly. The show is honest, funny, and enjoyable for anyone, since it’s all about love and relationships. It’s really about looking for fulfillment in one’s life and coming terms with the idea that it could be a long and windy path to you finding Mr. or Ms. Right. I need to get his book ASAP, from the readings he did during the episode, I’m dying to know his further musings on “America’s Next Top Model”, women, yoga, and so much more.

Related links:
Eric Schaeffer’s Blog
Eric Schaeffer’s Myspace page
Buy his book!

ABC’s “Private Practice” will finally emerge from its post-strike hiatus on October 1st (9/8c). I actually found myself liking this show as a guilty pleasure. I’m wasn’t the biggest Addison fan when she was “Grey’s Anatomy”, but I warmed to her on the spin-off.

And who can resist Taye Diggs’ charm? Seriously, it’s quite difficult. Even Tim Daly (”Wings”) sorta wore me down with his silly homeopathic medicine and skirt-chasing ways. I connect most though to Amy Brenneman’s character. She is the resident therapist who can counsel everyone else, but hasn’t got a clue when it comes to her own lovelife.

Another reason I liked this show was for its lighter tone. They really tried to play up the sunny california, everything’s groovy stereotype in this show. If you’re looking for “ER” style gore and melodrama, this might not be the show for you. Granted, there were a few tense moments, but this cast of characters are simply more engaging than the current batch on Grey’s (prolly due to the lack of Mere whining). “Private Practice” is a welcomed alternative for the tv fan who wants a dash of hospital melodrama mixed with romance and comedy.

I’ve finally caught up on a few of the television finales and decided the worst one (that I watched) came from “Grey’s Anatomy”. It was the same ol’ crap just re-packaged to make some of the doctors have a happy ending while others went deeper into their self-destructive hole. McDreamy and Meredith finally, after years of break-ups/make-ups and working together and fighting together have decided to give a final shot. But only after she made a breakthru in therapy that is….

If this was season two or three, perhaps I would care. But seriously, four seasons of dating, adultery, and false relationship starts really wears on a viewer! I simply just don’t care.

Who do I care about? Bailey, but it took an entire season of her running around being a Doctor/Head Resident to realize that doing all that and taking care of a baby just don’t mix. She gives the clinic to Izzie. End of Story, everyone wins.

The Chief got back with his wife…ewww old people kissing…I guess it works.

Alex and Izzie fight and kiss again, but now with more sadness and pathetic words.

Callie and Erika are kissing…boring…way to try and get the male demographic back.

George gets to redeem himself and retake his Intern test. Here’s hoping he doesn’t flug it up twice.

Will I watch next season? I really don’t think so. I’d almost rather watch “ER”, which I hate. So that’s saying something.

Am I getting old or are these Lifetime movies getting better? I typically only watch these tv movies when I’m extremely bored and want a laugh.

But recently, I got wrapped up in the “Capture of the Green River Killer” mini series with Tom Cavanagh. It was pretty riveting (and graphic!) compared to the usual lover scorned tv fare on LMN.

And then yesterday, I watched “Barbara Taylor Bradford’s A Secret Affair“. That’s like twice in a month that I’ve embraced Lifetime Movie Network programming! The flick from yesterday starred Janine Turner and some Irish bloke. They meet in Venice and fall in love (despite all odds and him being kidnapped by Yugoslavian terrorists?!).

It was based on a romance novel by Barbara Taylor Bradford (which the title won’t let you forget) , so it was pretty heavy with the cheese. At the end, they all think the Irish guy is dead but alas, he escaped his captors and magically ended up in Ireland unscathed.